January/February in review 2025

Happy New Year, friends!

I have always loved the start of the new year. In Australia it’s Summer time. Things feel festive, the weather is warm, the pace slower.

Its a fabulous month for reflection. A chance to start over, with fresh eyes and a new found energy. 

This year I’ll continue to document and share monthly journal entries, covering what I’m working on - my struggles, insights and favourite resources - podcasts, books & meditations. I’m starting a Substack newsletter, it’s called, ‘Out in the Wilds,’ documenting my journey towards becoming a painter. The trials and tribulations of learning to express the beautiful landscape that surrounds me, abstractly through colour and mark. Painting still remains my most challenging creative shift to date.

January/February 2025

Season: Summer.

The days are long. The sun doesn’t set until close to 9 pm so there’s plenty of time for play. This year I’ve noticed the kookaburras are the last to call it a night - you know it’s roughly 9 - 9.30pm by their last lullaby. It’s been a hot couple of months. We’ve hardly had rain, the fields are dry, there’s no green grass it now a faint yellow ochre hue. Despite this the flowers continue to blossom and the garden beds are full of colour and activity. We’ve begun harvesting carrots, cucumbers, broad beans, beetroot, radishes, capsicums, lettuce, rocket and spinach and in Feb the tomatoes began to ripen. The Rosella’s and lorikeets like our tomatoes just as much as us, they have also found their way into our netted blackberries. Bodhi our border collie also loves stealing the blackberries when we’re not looking - the only giveaway is that his snout is stained purple. I love the feeling of being surrounded by bush and the elements it’s so inviting. The shadows of the trees, ribbon like and festive. The shapes made by the branches. The changing colours of the clouds. Shafts of sunlight. It’s all inspiring.

My work:

I met the wonderful artist Catherine Cassidy in December for a coffee. Four hours later - and visits to the Art Puff Gallery and the Castlemaine Art Museum plus a very yummy lunch, we had hit it off. I asked Catherine if she’d be interested in mentoring me and a few days later we decided to start working together, beginning the first week January. I first came across Catherine’s work after purchasing Amber Creswell Bell’s, wonderful art book, ‘Australian Abstract.’ Catherine was one of the painters represented that I was drawn to. I was very much attracted to her process, her deep connection to the land and her interest in the Tao - 10th century Chinese philosophy of painting . I began following her, she displayed a freedom, playfulness and confidence that caught my attention. At the time I had been rereading The Artist Way, and in my morning pages. I wrote, “I choose boldness over fear.” Then asked myself how, if at all I was being bold? To which I answered, it’s time to contact Catherine Cassidy and go and meet her, she is living near you, what’s to lose? I think she is meant to be your teacher.

In the first month we met once a week to gather momentum and from there we’ve decided to meet once a month. Giving me time to experiment and play. Catherine is helping me discover my own unique pathway into abstraction. She is every bit as wonderful a teacher as I had imagined. Opening me up to a world of possibilities. The magic of collage, the importance of the chi, energy in your brushstroke. The macro and micro in the field. Mark making. Your unique language. Always encouraging me to step back. Pause. Discern. ‘Fail, fail, fail’, she wrote on piece of paper in our first session and stuck it on to the wall. A subtle reminder to stop taking yourself so seriously - mistakes will often reveal unexpected findings.

The things I’d like to work on next month:

• Paint outside more. The snakes have definitely freaked me out.

• To feel free, energised and delighted both during and post a painting session

• To hold nothing back.

Below are a few examples of playful explorative works completed during sessions with Catherine.